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10 Common Misconceptions About Working As An Au Pairhttps://www.buzzfeed.com/jimenavillardeo/10-misconceptions-about-working-as-an-au-pair-fauz
So you’ve been babysitting for this nice family and they’ve suggested you go with them to their country house for the summer to work as an au pair. Or maybe you’ve been searching for a good, cheap option to go abroad for a year and someone recommended working as an au pair. Well, think twice before deciding to move in with a family and their (potentially) crazy children.

You will just become another member of the family.

You thought being a vegetarian wasn't going to be that big of a deal? Or maybe your host parents told you that you could go for your run every night no problem? Although most host families try their hardest to make you feel like you are part of the family, most of the time it will be hard for you to adjust to their life style. When living with another family, all the differences come out. Adjusting to your new lifestyle will take 6 months to a year. It is possible also that some host parents will slowly begin to treat you like you are their employee, rather than a family member helping them out with the kids.

Being an au pair is just an extension of babysitting.

Nop. Nop. Nop. The work load as an au pair increases by about 500%. You will be with the children from the moment you wake up (could be 6am) until the moment they fall asleep. You will be tired most of the day. With no pause for eating, pooping, taking a shower, or locking yourself in the bathroom for a good cry.

You will only have to take care of child X and child Y.

If your host family tells you that you will only have to take care of certain children of the family, do not believe it. They will say maybe say that you won't have to take care of the baby because the mom will be with it, or maybe you won't have to take care of the teenager because s/he knows how to take care of himself, or maybe you will be told that the cousins will be living in the same house by you will not have to take care of them. Lies, lies and more lies. All the children will need help, and as long as you are working under the same roof as them, you will definitely end up taking care of them as well. Do not fall for this trap.

The children will like you.

This really depends on the age of the children, but anything aged from 2-years-old to 6-years-old brings in a high chance of them strongly disliking you. The host parents will make you shower them, eat their food, wash their hands, put on their diapers, etc. and that is all the things they hate. Aged 2 and below they simply feel more comfortable being in the arms of their parents, and therefore babies will simply be an alternative they will have to live with. Your best shot is aged 8 to 10, where they could potentially see you as a cool playmate. Teenagers usually give you the silent treatment. Either way, it is quite likely at least one of the children will not like you one bit.

]]>https://www.buzzfeed.com/jimenavillardeo/10-misconceptions-about-working-as-an-au-pair-fauzTue, 29 Jul 2014 18:13:06 -0400So you&#39;ve been babysitting for this nice family and they&#39;ve suggested you go with them to their country house for the summer to work as an au pair. Or maybe you&#39;ve been searching for a good, cheap option to go abroad for a year and someone recommended working as an au pair. Well, think twice before deciding to move in with a family and their (potentially) crazy children.jimenavillardeoadult